By IAN MCINTYRE

KOTA BARU, MALAYSIA: Speaker Mohd Nassuruddin Daud kept his word when he suspended reporters from Berita Harian from covering the seven-day Budget sitting after the newspaper did not issue an apology.

On Tuesday, Mohd Nassuruddin supported the motion by Zainuddin Awang Hamat (PAS - Kemuning) who called for the reporters to be barred, claiming that the daily had misreported with its news headline "Sultan of Kelantan angry with the state government".

Zainuddin claimed it was a deliberate smear attempt by the paper against the Kelantan government.

Mohd Nassuruddin said then he would give the daily 24 hours to issue an apology.

He told the assembly on Wednesday that under Section 14 of the Standing Orders, the Speaker has the right to remove or refrain any media organisation from attending and reporting on the assembly.

The sole Berita Harian journalist Khairul Anuar Abdul Samad who was about to enter the media room to observe the proceedings yesterday was asked by security officers to leave and was escorted out.

A bemused Khairul told fellow journalists that he accepted the decision but stressed that he was disturbed by the ruling.

Kelantan Press Club president Wan Zulkifli Wan Yaacob said news organisations have to respect the ruling made by the Speaker but hoped that assemblymen do not hold any grudges against journalists carrying out their duties.

"We report but we do not decide how the headlines are formed. I hope the people understand our role and functions," he said, adding that the club planned to meet and clarify matters with Mohd Nassuruddin.

State Opposition Leader Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad (BN - Kok Lanas) described the move as extreme, saying PAS does not understand freedom of the press and only accepts democracy tailored to its own style.